NSF Convergence Accelerator Track J: Aqua Sacs for Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate

NSF 融合加速器轨道 J：气候变化中可持续农业的水囊

• 批准号: 2236235
• 负责人: Cindie Kehlet
• 金额: $ 75万
• 依托单位: Pratt Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-12-01 至 2024-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2236235&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Convergence; Accelerator; Track; Aqua

Climate change has stressed the availability of global water resources and increased water scarcity, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. The situation will only worsen, leading to more severe and frequent droughts followed by flooding, decreasing arable land, and increasing food insecurity. A more efficient irrigation system is needed, especially for water-intensive crops, such as soybeans, wheat, and sugarcane. Hydrogels added to soil reduce irrigation frequency by absorbing and retaining water and releasing it when the soil dries. They improve the hydro-physical properties of the soil, such as porosity, and they can reduce erosion and runoff and thereby mitigate the effect of flooding. Hydrogels function as small water containers in the ground with osmotic membranes that increase microbial activity, growth, and performance rate.Currently, most of the hydrogels on the market are synthetic polyacrylates and polyacrylamides, which are petroleum-based materials and not ecologically friendly for large-scale agriculture. Some semisynthetic starch-based polymers are also available. However, a better alternative is possible. Alginate-based hydrogels have been shown to be efficient in controlling soil moisture for plant growth. In this project, we introduce the ecologically friendly water container Aqua Sac, an alginate-based hydrogel that can be produced in various patterns such as sheets or meshes. Osmotic membranes can be formed by binding calcium at the surface, making them similar in function to synthetic hydrogels. Moreover, adding alginate hydrogels to soil can stimulate microbial activity, which generates microbial biomass and diversity, and the biodegradation of alginate can contribute to soil health and, in turn, leads to increased crop production. Alginate is extracted from seaweeds, such as kelp, which can be sustainably farmed while providing a suite of environmental benefits. Seaweeds are a zero-input crop that does not require the use of fertilizers, pesticides, or fresh water. Rather, seaweeds extract excess nutrients from the surrounding waters, including dissolved nitrogen and carbon dioxide, which helps to combat eutrophication and climate change. Thus, the development of Aqua Sac will benefit agriculture and soil health on land and the marine environment by helping to increase the demand for aquacultured seaweeds. This collaborative project aims to understand and develop the industrialization steps required to produce Aqua Sac at a commercial scale. The technique that was developed allows the production of alginate hydrogel in rolls that can be deployed to the field in the form of sheets or meshes of various patterns that can be used as an additive material for applications ranging from soil hydration to food preservation. The scaling from a laboratory to an industrial scale requires an understanding of seaweed farming, alginate extraction, hydrogel optimization, and field performance. Information obtained from these steps will give us the elements necessary to create a business model and seek industrial partners for the production and distribution of Aqua Sac on an industrial scale. Specifically, we will seek to: 1) identify seaweed species and growing regions that maximize domestic alginate production and quality; 2) refine methods of alginate extraction and hydrogel production to minimize waste production, 3) optimize the hydrogel membrane for water absorption and retention, and 4) conduct field tests to understand the performance of the hydrogel under actual agricultural conditions. All steps will be developed within a circular economy model to minimize environmental impact. The project will be documented by photo and filmed for public dissemination.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

气候变化突出了全球水资源的可用性，加剧了水资源的稀缺，特别是在干旱和半干旱地区。这种情况只会恶化，导致更严重和更频繁的干旱，随后是洪水，耕地减少，粮食不安全加剧。需要一个更有效的灌溉系统，特别是对水密集型作物，如大豆，小麦和甘蔗。添加到土壤中的水凝胶通过吸收和保持水分并在土壤干燥时释放水分来减少灌溉频率。它们改善土壤的水文物理特性，如孔隙度，并可减少侵蚀和径流，从而减轻洪水的影响。水凝胶的功能是在地下的小型水容器，具有渗透膜，可以增加微生物活性，生长和性能速率。目前，市场上的大多数水凝胶是合成聚丙烯酸酯和聚丙烯酰胺，它们是基于石油的材料，对于大规模农业来说并不生态友好。一些半合成的淀粉基聚合物也是可用的。然而，更好的替代方案是可能的。基于藻酸盐的水凝胶已被证明在控制植物生长的土壤水分方面是有效的。在这个项目中，我们介绍了生态友好的水容器Aqua Sac，这是一种基于海藻酸盐的水凝胶，可以生产各种图案，如片材或网格。渗透膜可以通过在表面结合钙而形成，使其在功能上类似于合成水凝胶。此外，向土壤中添加藻酸盐水凝胶可以刺激微生物活性，从而产生微生物量和多样性，并且藻酸盐的生物降解可以有助于土壤健康，进而导致作物产量增加。藻酸盐是从海藻中提取的，如海带，可以可持续地养殖，同时提供一系列环境效益。海藻是一种零投入的作物，不需要使用化肥、杀虫剂或淡水。相反，海藻从周围的沃茨中提取多余的营养物质，包括溶解的氮和二氧化碳，这有助于对抗富营养化和气候变化。因此，Aqua Sac的开发将有助于增加对水产养殖海藻的需求，从而有利于陆地和海洋环境的农业和土壤健康。该合作项目旨在了解和开发以商业规模生产Aqua Sac所需的工业化步骤。所开发的技术允许以卷的形式生产藻酸盐水凝胶，其可以以各种图案的片或网的形式部署到田间，其可以用作从土壤水合到食品保存的应用的添加剂材料。从实验室到工业规模的扩展需要了解海藻养殖，藻酸盐提取，水凝胶优化和现场性能。从这些步骤中获得的信息将为我们提供必要的元素，以创建商业模式，并寻求工业合作伙伴，以工业规模生产和分销Aqua Sac。具体而言，我们将寻求：1）确定海藻物种和生长区域，最大限度地提高国内海藻酸盐的产量和质量; 2）改进海藻酸盐提取和水凝胶生产的方法，以最大限度地减少废物的产生; 3）优化水凝胶膜的吸水性和保水性; 4）进行田间试验，以了解水凝胶在实际农业条件下的性能。所有步骤都将在循环经济模式下开发，以尽量减少对环境的影响。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。